Muhammad Al-Fazazi from Cairo:

What was said in the Cairo conference by the Ulema of the Ummah

but was not publicised

It is known that a conference of Ulema took place in Cairo on 4th Sha’ban 1434 AH/13th June 2013. I was privileged to be invited and able to deliver a speech to the Egyptian masses gathered at the market in Tenth District in the Egyptian Capital on the same day and it was broadcasted live.

The final statement was followed by remarks from Shaykh Muhammad Hassan. Again, all of this is well-known. However there are matters which have been overlooked even though people need to know them. These are the very matters we discussed amongst ourselves in three separate circles. I personally spoke of a very sensitive issue and many of the Ulema concurred with me on it. That issue is the general call [for Jihad] and how it cannot remain broad [without specifics]. The Syrian people do not need youngsters to go there [Syria] to fight like sheep. Rather, they are in need of specialist weaponry that World Powers can provide especially the United States. The Syrians are in need of anti-aircraft weapons, armour and tanks not youngsters who go there to become burdens on the Free Syrian Army, as Shaykh Adnan Al-Aroor put it.

Other delicate issues also arose. Namely, that some enthusiasts for Jihad hold extremist Takfiri ideologies. They will go there and learn warfare, pyrotechnics etc and then return to their own countries – when Allah wills their return – to spread terror and devastation in the name of Jihad. I personally requested an approach to counter this problem by making governments to prevent their youngsters from joining the Mujahedin in Syria. This is not prevention from Jihad at all; it is merely a precaution against negative repercussions. There was a unanimous condemnation of extremism in religion and unneeded engagement in Jihad.

All of the Ulema present agreed on the criminalization of terrorism and its impermissibility in peaceful Islamic countries and that terrorism is not Jihad in the way of Allah Almighty.

In contrast are the current events in Syria where two distinct parties and opposing groups have emerged.

{And Allah will surely support those who support Him. Indeed, Allah is Powerful and Exalted in Might} (Surah Al-Hajj:40).

May Allah send prayers and salutations upon our Master Muhammad, his family and companions.